State of Goa India Introduces Smart-Grid SCADA Project

The Goa India State Electricity department proposes to introduce Smart-grid as pilot project for effective control of the consumer loads during peak demand. The State is facing current power deficit of one mega watt (MW) during peak hour.

Goa Electricity Department in their business plan 2019-20, 2021-22 submitted before the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) has also proposed to install Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) up to the 33 KV Sub-Station to avoid the current mismanagement of the power distribution.

The electricity department caters to around 6.19 lakh consumers with an annual energy consumption of approx 3492 Million Units (MUs). The consumers are classified as Domestic (31% of consumption), Commercial (15% of consumption), Industrial (51% of consumption), Agriculture (1% of consumption), Temporary (5% of consumption) and Defence Establishments (1% of consumption).

“The peak demand of Goa during financial year 2017-18 was around 644 MW. As per CEA LGBR report, for the year 2017-18, the Energy Deficit and the peak deficit for the State of Goa were 0.0percent (NIL) and 0.2 percent(1 MW) respectively,” the department said adding the peak demand recorded till August, 2018 is 657 MW.

“Department has planned to introduce Smartgrid as a pilot project in a particular area for effective control of the consumer loads during peak demand. The pros and cons will be studied before implementing in other areas,” it has said without revealing the area. Smart meters/Prepaid meters are also being planned for installation to the consumers, the department said.

Proposing SCADA system, Department said that lack of SCADA system has hampered the distribution activities of the Department from being automated. “The adoption of the SCADA system will enable the Department to have advanced data collection capabilities and thus will play a significant role in the power system operation,” it added.

To cater the demand, the State does not have its own generation. The majority of the power requirement for the State is met through its share from Central Sector Power Stations of the National Thermal Power Corporation as allocated by the Central Government.

The total firm allocation of power from central sector is approx 575 MW. In addition, the department also purchases power from Co-generation stations within state and short term power procurement from the market, Traders, DEEP portal.